Communication Site Management

In 1995, the BLM issued final regulations establishing a rental schedule for communication uses located on public lands (60 FR 57058). Prior to that time, the BLM determined rental through an appraisal process. The new schedule established a rental amount based upon two criteria: 1) the type of communication use, and 2) the population of the area served. Nine categories of use and population strata are depicted on the schedule. For example, a TV Broadcast use serving Los Angeles, CA in 2011 has a rent of $63,928.22; while that same use serving Casper, WY (population of 50,000 to 99,000) would be assessed $8,523.76.

The rent schedule is adjusted annually based on changes in the CPI-U index. Only facility owners and facility managers are required to have authorizations; tenants and customers who do not own their own building, equipment shelter, tower, or other improvements only need a lease agreement with the facility owner or facility manager to utilize a communication site. Total rent assessed a facility owner or facility manager is based on the highest valued use in the building plus 25% of scheduled rent for all other communication uses subject to rent.

The USDA Forest Service also adopted this schedule in 1995, and the two agencies' policies concerning communication site management remain almost identical.